I love my Ekich bobbin. Worth the price to me for sure. I use fewer wraps, less thread than I did with regular bobbins. I love the amount of tension it holds and I love the weight of the bobbin. The only inconvenience for me is to remember to release the tension on the thread before I cut it off at the end of tying the fly. And even that is now second nature. I haven't found it difficult to thread at all. I use those dental loop things.